Chapter 68 Warming His Sword's Edge
When Bai Hua woke up again, she opened her eyes to a completely unfamiliar scene.
She raised her hand and pressed her temples. The throbbing sensation in her head was very familiar; she had experienced it several times before and knew it was a lingering effect of the drug.
After a moment, she glanced away from the bed and looked out. Her gaze settled on a tall figure standing by the window, whose stature and posture gave her a sense of familiarity.
She recognized the person and remembered that she and the young master had split up to search for a figure in purple in the alley. Just as they were about to reach the end of the alley, a strong arm suddenly reached out from the doorway next to them, covered her mouth to prevent her from making a sound, and then another hand wrapped around her waist, completely restraining her.
Realizing that it wasn't Jiuqiu ahead, but a villain, Bai Hua's guard immediately went up. She prepared to struggle and make a sound to alert the young master. However, just as she was about to move, she looked up and met a pair of familiar eyes.
It's my cousin.
Bai Hua was immediately stunned, and the tension in her body slowly dissipated.
Rong Linyan exchanged a glance with her, removed the handkerchief covering her mouth and nose, and whispered to her, "Hua'er, I'm here."
She didn't know what her cousin was thinking. The handkerchief he used to keep her quiet was still soaked in a sleeping potion. Was he unsure if she would obediently go with him?
The drug was quite potent; Bai Hua inhaled it through her mouth and nose and quickly fainted in his arms.
Then comes clarity, which is the present moment.
Bai Hua continued to gaze at that imposing figure, but felt no sense of familiarity whatsoever. She wanted to speak, but her throat was dry and she couldn't utter a sound. She had no choice but to swallow a mouthful of saliva to moisten her throat before trying to open her mouth again.
"Cousin..." Bai Hua's voice was extremely hoarse, as if it had been sanded, and it was not pleasant to hear at all.
Rong Linyan turned around upon hearing the sound, his gaze meeting hers, his eyes filled with worry.
"Hua'er." He called out to her, quickened his pace to approach her, helped her sit up halfway against the wall, and said, "I'll go get you a glass of water."
Bai Hua replied weakly, "Okay."
The room was small, containing only a wooden bed frame, a square table, four chairs, and a solid wood cabinet against the wall.
Rong Linyan walked to the table, picked up the kettle and filled the teacup, then returned to the edge of the bed, bent down and leaned closer, wanting to personally feed Bai Hua the water.
Bai Hua pursed her lips and tilted her head, realizing that her refusal had been too abrupt, so she took over the task and said tactfully, "I can do it myself."
Rong Linyan relied on her.
One cup, and another.
After drinking two glasses of water, the suffocating feeling in her throat finally subsided.
Rong Linyan asked, "Do you want more?"
Bai Hua shook her head.
Rong Linyan took the empty cup and put it back on the table.
He then approached her again, sat down on the edge of the bed, and took her hand naturally, his eyes filled with apology.
He sighed and said, "Hua'er, it's all my fault. I've made you live in fear and suffer a lot these past few days..."
Meeting Rong Linyan's eager gaze, Bai Hua felt a little uncomfortable. She was momentarily lost, unsure of how to face him, so she could only lower her eyes and remain silent, trying her best to suppress her emotions.
She tried to pull her hand away, but her cousin's grip was too strong, and she couldn't move, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"My cousin wanted to take me away, so why did he drug me?" Bai Hua asked, voicing her confusion.
Rong Linyan sincerely explained, "I'm sorry, Hua'er, I've made you suffer. It was Fu Wei who suggested that I do it this way. Ning Jue has excellent hearing, and I was afraid that when I took you over the wall and across the alley, you would make a sound out of fear and unintentionally attract his attention. In order to get you out of here safely, I had no choice but to resort to this tactic. Please don't blame me."
Was he afraid she might make a sound unintentionally, or was he guarding against her making a sound intentionally? Perhaps only the cousin himself knows.
He has always been suspicious and wary. Even if she is supposedly one of his own, he is not sure whether she has been influenced by bad company during the nearly two months she has spent with Ning Jue. That's why he used a drug to increase his chances.
Bai Hua pretended not to understand his intention and replied, "There's a reason for this, and besides, I wasn't injured, so of course I won't blame my cousin."
Upon hearing this, Rong Linyan breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Bai Hua quietly for a moment before tentatively asking about the important matter: "Hua'er, how much more did you learn about the Lone Goose Sword Style from Ning Jue?"
Bai Hua's fingers, hidden beneath her sleeves, slowly tightened, her heart filled with intense inner turmoil.
Her cousin's appearance was too sudden and caught her off guard. She hadn't even figured out how to respond yet. In order to help her brother get out of prison, she would have to reveal something to her cousin. But she was torn between telling him everything and keeping something to herself.
She analyzed the possible outcomes of the two choices.
If she were to reveal everything, she would be completely betraying the young master. Although she might be able to help her cousin win the championship, she would also completely expose the secrets of the Lone Goose Sword Technique, indirectly causing the young master to fail his master's trust and making it difficult for him to have peace of mind for the rest of his life.
But if something is concealed, and the cousin and the young master face off in a contest, and the cousin is not confident of winning, how can he successfully embark on an official career and help his brother escape his predicament in the capital?
She was torn between two paths, and whichever one she chose, she would be in pain.
Bai Hua felt as if she were in a furnace, being roasted and tormented from both sides. She couldn't breathe, and soon she couldn't breathe at all.
Rong Linyan patted her hand again, gently stroking the back of her hand with his palm as a gesture of comfort.
The sensation of the thin callus gliding across her skin was distinct and familiar. Bai Hua reacted as if she had been burned by a tongue of fire, and immediately withdrew her hand.
Even though Rong Linyan held her tightly, Bai Hua still managed to break free.
"Hua'er, what's wrong?" Rong Linyan looked at her, puzzled.
Bai Hua, of course, would not tell the truth. That brief touch reminded her of her time with Ning Jue.
Those who wield swords usually have calluses on their palms, but she could tell that Ning Jue's calluses were thicker, indicating that he had held the sword for longer and practiced for more time. Previously, whenever he touched her, his hands felt like sand rolling over her skin, a rough texture that was addictive.
Even though her hands were also calloused, Bai Hua only resisted and tried to dodge when her cousin tried to touch them.
My cousin is still waiting for her reply. There's no point in waiting any longer; he'll find a way to continue the conversation.
Bai Hua made her decision and finally replied, "I've explored some of it, but the sword techniques aren't complete."
Rong Linyan scoffed coldly, seemingly unsurprised: "I knew it. Ning Jue was not qualified to be personally taught by the Sword Saint. Of course, he could not possibly have learned the complete sword style. As for the last few styles, I don't know where he learned them from, but they must have come from an unknown source."
Bai Hua resisted the urge to explain. Right now, her cousin was very hostile towards Ning Jue. If she told him the truth, that the young master was actually the Sword Saint's only disciple and had mastered all seventy-nine forms of the Lone Goose Sword Technique, how would her cousin react?
Unsure of her cousin's intentions, she remained silent out of caution.
Rong Linyan pressed further, "How many moves has Ning Jue mastered?"
Bai Hua carefully considered her reply: "Up to the sixtieth style."
She didn't say that number without reason.
The Lone Goose Sword Technique is divided into two parts: the upper part has forty moves and the lower part has thirty-nine moves, for a total of seventy-nine moves.
The contents of the first chapter are widely circulated in the martial arts world and are not a secret. They have even coincidentally helped many swordsmen with swordsmanship skills to become accomplished. As for the thirty-nine moves in the second chapter, they are an internal secret of the Ning family and are not passed on to anyone except relatives and closed-door disciples.
She and Ning Jue had a simple wedding ceremony at Qimeng Manor, and then they consummated their marriage. Only after she had completely become his woman was Ning Jue willing to show her the complete thirty-nine moves of the later chapters of the sword technique.
Witnessing the complete swordplay of Gu Hong for the first time, Bai Hua held her breath in concentration. Ning Jue's figure flashed clearly before her eyes as he wielded his sword, performing all seventy-nine moves. Ning Jue held nothing back from her, and she reciprocated in a fair exchange. She transformed into water, warming his blade, and allowed him to sheath it, giving him his rightful place. She wanted his swordplay, and he wanted her in return…
Bai Hua paid the price of turning into a pool of water beneath him to remember the secret. She then calmly analyzed and carefully memorized it. She cleverly divided the thirty-nine moves of the later chapter into four groups. The first three groups consisted of ten moves as a coherent node, while the last group consisted of nine moves to finish the sequence.
Bai Hua kept some things to herself when speaking to Rong Linyan, only revealing the first two sets of content from the later chapters, silently keeping nineteen moves secret for the young master.
Although I know it's meaningless, and perhaps just a way to give myself some psychological comfort.
Urged by Rong Linyan, Bai Hua carefully drew the sword moves on the white paper. Once the drawing was complete, Rong Linyan picked up the manuscript, held it in his palm, and studied it intently. Then, his eyes suddenly shone brightly, revealing an undisguised surge of ambition.
"Hua'er, you are truly my lucky star." Rong Linyan looked at her deeply, his tone filled with undisguised excitement, then added proudly, "When we take to the arena one day, who can be my opponent? My Guihong Sword Hall is destined to become famous throughout the world..."
Bai Hua remained silent with her eyes downcast, showing no inclination to respond.
She knew that revealing the secret of her sword technique was an undeniable betrayal of the young master, a sin she could never atone for with her death. And the budding romance between them was also completely ended by her selfish choice...
She didn't want to see Rong Linyan's ostentatious demeanor at that moment, but there were still some things she had to tell him.
“Cousin… I’m counting on you to get my brother out of this predicament. If you manage to win first place one day, and the Great General asks about the reward you desire, could you please ask for my brother’s forgiveness?”
Rong Linyan readily agreed: "Hua'er, don't worry. You risked your life to get this sword technique for me. If it succeeds, you will deserve half the credit. Besides, Brother Shu'an is also my brother, so I will do my best."
Bai Hua was not greedy and stopped thinking about anything else. She only hoped that her brother could escape danger and be safe.
As for the young master, the debt she owes him can only be repaid in the next life.
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